Janus Chronicles: Book 1
by AD-Kovaro
Summary: This epic narrative follows an adventure of two friends and how they are sent from their home in order to save it. Follow Clarke and Isaac as they adventure, create new friends and enemies, and fight for their lives.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

Light was just starting to crack over the horizon. The ocean just outside of the village was a rich blue with tones of violet. Not a single sound was heard at this hour. The calm waves reflected the soft light through Clarke's window. The beam lit up the room and shined brightly in his eyes. Clarke stretched and moaned in his bed. "Too early to get up," he thought. Then he mumbled to himself, "why is my bed always so much warmer and softer when I'm not supposed to be in it?" He took a deep breath and got out of bed. Walking over to a small bureau he put on his working pants; an old pair of jeans with a ratty leather belt. His shirt was a faded purple fabric embroidered with the stains of dirt and hard work. He put on his work boots and ate a piece of bread and drank a glass of water. He walked outside and then saw his best friend, Isaac.

Isaac was wearing similar clothes: old jeans, a black shirt though. He hadn't shaved; the 5 o'clock shadow confirmed that. Isaac sighed, "Hey Clarke, sleep well?" "Yeah just fine, wish we had just a few more hours you know?" Isaac then responded "Wouldn't that be nice, better get to work though, make sure the golem is still kicking and the crops haven't been eaten." "Yeah, yeah, I guess we should. I'll go check on the rock, get started without me." Isaac nodded in agreement. Clarke walked over to the blacksmith's forge and saw that the golem, a large iron behemoth of a thing, was up and meandering about the area. "Hey Jim," Clarke said. The golem was built years ago, everyone only knew him as _the golem, _so Clarke decided to give him a name. He didn't know if Jim actually responded to the name, but at least then he seemed more like a living guard than a weapon.

Jim was old, he was starting to rust in certain areas, and grass was growing out of crack that had been filled with dirt from over the years. His eyes were a dark maroon, looking down at Clarke. Jim paused for a moment and handed Clarke a flower. Jim always seemed to find flowers and would give them to the people he liked. Even if that meant a flower for everyone in the village, Clarke still felt special receiving one. "Thanks buddy" Clarke said with an honest smile. Jim made some sort of grunting noise of approval and wandered off again.

All the while, Isaac grabbed a basket filled with various tools, some gloves, a hoe, and a scythe. He placed the tools down and looked at the crops. The wheat was getting shorter every year. The kernels were not as big, and the stalks were getting skinnier. Not only that, but something had gotten in and ate about a quarter of them the night before. Isaac shook his head, "this isn't good" he thought. "If this keeps up then we're not going to make it much longer." The carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms did not look any better. The leaves were bitten, and last harvest, the vegetables had been significantly smaller and nowhere near ripe when it was time to harvest.

"Isaac!" Clarke yelled. "Jim's up as usual, keeping to himself. How are the crops looking?" Isaac looked sheepish, "Not good. Something got in last night and ate half of our wheat crop. The leaves of the carrots and potatoes have also been gnawed. I'm telling you, Clarke, we need to find out what's been eating our food and why they're so malnourished." "Well I guess we'll talk to Rick today." Clarke said. This was reassuring to Isaac. They knew they couldn't survive like this; they had to figure something out.

"Alright then," Isaac said. "I guess we should get to work." Clarke nodded and the two bent over with their hoes to till the soil. After tilling the soil and planting what few seeds they had, Isaac grabbed a scythe and got to work on the ready wheat. Clarke rolled up his sleeves and his dirt caked gloves pulled up the ruined carrots, potatoes, and weeds. Around noon, Abigail, Clarke's girlfriend of two years brought water for Clarke and Isaac, and to check up on them. "Hi Abbey." Isaac said with a smile. She had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, a bit shorter than Clarke. She was a very nice girl, they had known each other their whole lives, but were only together since they were both twenty. Clarke, hearing the name of his girlfriend stood up and turned around. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Abbey smiled. "I thought I'd bring you something to drink. You two work hard, take a break for once." She said in a joking attitude. Isaac quickly grabbed his glass and downed it fast, mumbling "appreciate it" between gulps. He walked off to give his best friend a moment alone with her.

"Thank you sweetie, you didn't have to do this" Abigail looked at Clarke as if she was about to slap him. "I can't believe you sometimes. You two are the hardest workers here and you say you don't need a cold drink? If you're so tough, I guess I'll take it for myself." "Whoa now, did I say that?" Clarke said trying to save himself. "I mean yes, yes we could use a break. I'll take that water now." He drank his glass and Abbey smiled with satisfaction. "That's what I thought" she said with a slight laugh. "I'll see you later Clarke. I love you" Clarke smiled as well, "I love you too." Clarke picked up his tools and looked over to Isaac who had been staring at him. "What?" he questioned. "Nothing, nothing" Isaac said while holding up his hands in defense. "Hey I'm going to bring this wheat to Mrs. O'Doyle." "Alright," Clarke said. "I'll be here when you get back."

Isaac walked through the town, waving hello and greeting the friendly faces that walked by. He followed the smell of freshly baked bread to Mrs. O'Doyle's front door where we knocked twice and was greeted by the kind old lady. The scent of baking bread wafted through the air as she smiled up at him. She was a small woman of sixty-two; she barely reached Isaac's chest. Her graying hair and bright smile easily made her one of the friendliest and well known people in the village. "Hello Isaac, how's your mother?" "As well as ever I suppose" he said. She stepped aside in the doorway and motioned for Isaac to enter. "Please come in, you can place the wheat on the counter in the back." Isaac walked to the back of the shop and tossed the bale onto the counter. When he walked back to the front of the shop, Mrs. O'Doyle presented him with two fresh loaves of bread. "You don't need to do this. Food is short as it is." Mrs. O'Doyle frowned. "You boys work too hard for this village to not receive some sort of thanks. Please take them."

Isaac graciously accepted the bread and turned to walk out. Just as he was about to step outside Mrs. O'Doyle stopped him once more. "Oh, Isaac!" He turned around. "Yes?" "David stopped by earlier. He was looking for you and Clarke. I think he said he was going to check the market next, he should be there." "Thank you, I'll be on my way then." Mrs. O'Doyle smiled as Isaac walked away and she closed the door behind him.

Isaac walked back to the farms. He saw Clarke and tossed him one of the loaves. "What's this?" Clarke asked. "Just a gift, Mrs. D insisted that we take them." "Well that was nice of her." The two friends sat and ate their snack. Amidst their chewing, they started to talk about their predicament; the cows were either running dry or getting leaner. The pigs were not as fat, and the chickens weren't laying many viable eggs. The only thing that was going their way was the fact that they had plenty of water. Living by the ocean their whole lives, everyone knew how to evaporate the salt out of the water to make it ready for drinking. Still, they couldn't sit by and watch the village starve to death. Dave came over to them, it seemed like he had something important to say.

Dave, or David as he preferred, was the village leader, and had been for almost seven years. Dave's father was the leader before him, and he ruled fairly and compassionately. Dave had been friends with Isaac and Clarke when they were growing up. And frankly, Dave never wanted to be the leader…everyone knew that. But when Dave's father died, it was decided that he would be the next logical choice as their leader. Everyone said that he shared blood with the man who helped establish the village, and who kept them safe. But Dave knew that he was not the same man his father was. He believed he would not be able to protect the people. After the loss of a scouting party he organized, his judgment was questioned. After talking it over with some trusted friends: Clarke and Isaac, Father Ronald the priest, and Lance the blacksmith; they established a cabinet to advise Dave on all of his endeavors. The years that followed he made better decisions, but always kept people in the confines of the village. But now something was on his mind.

"Oh hey, Dave. We heard you were looking for us." Isaac said cheerfully. Clarke placed his hand on a wheat stalk to display the smaller kernels and weaker stalks. And then he said in a pleading voice, "Look, our crops are dying. They're even smaller than they were last year. We need to do something about this or we won't have enough bread or vegetables to last until next year."

David sighed and looked to the ground. He picked his head back up and said to Isaac and Clarke, "I know. I've been checking every day, just as you two do. And yes something will be done…Do you remember when I sent out that scouting party out oh, six years ago? And how they never came back?" Clarke and Isaac exchanged glances and nodded. Nobody really talked about that, David being so forward about it was…off putting. "Yes well, I think it's time that we have a change in policy. I've thought this over for weeks, the only other people who knows about this is Father Ronald and Lance." "Wait" Isaac interrupted, "What's going on? What have you been thinking over?" Dave sighed again and looked Isaac and Clarke in the eyes, he looked upset…as if he had a lump in his throat and if we was about to break down. "Look, I wouldn't have come to you too if I didn't think you could do this. But, I need you two to do me…all of us a favor. You need to leave."


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER I

"Whoa, what are you saying?! We can't leave! Who's going to take care of the farms?" "Calm down Isaac. I'm sending you and Clarke out to find people, map out the area. We need you to bring back new ways to farm, people to trade with, supplies, knowledge; anything that could help us. We're dying, and we need your help."

"Why us?" Clarke questioned honestly "Why send us out?" "Because" Dave said, "You two have been through it all, when we were kids you two would even hop the fence and wander outside the village for a few minutes. You two are brave. I could never go out there, I never saw the world. These people never saw past what their eyes allowed. You two have always had each other's backs, I have every confidence that you'll return home. Believe me that I wouldn't be asking this if I didn't believe that you couldn't do it."

Isaac and Clark exchanged looks once more. It was true; as children they had always dreamed of leaving the village and going on an adventure. The three of them always played make-believe, as the three knights who slayed monsters and saved people from harm. But that was no longer their lives. David became the leader and was consumed by his responsibilities. Clarke and Isaac became farmers and hadn't played adventure games since they were ten years old. Clarke had a girlfriend; Isaac cared for his sick mother. They couldn't just leave…

Or, could they?

Would this be the chance to live a childhood dream, to be the heroes they had always dreamed of? Would their loved ones understand that they had to leave for the greater good? What would happen while they were away? How long would they be gone? All of these questions would go unanswered unless they took the leap of faith.

The moment was over. They looked back at David. Isaac spoke, "Alright, we'll do it." Suddenly Dave's expression brightened up. "Ah-ha! You will?! You're sure? Oh excellent, excellent. Listen, I have some people to take your place as the farm hands while you're away. Please take the rest of today to get your affairs in order. I'll be in my office should you need me." Clarke looked at Isaac, "So we're going huh? Finally take that big adventure and save the city. Never thought anyone would ever leave again. I guess we'll get some supplies and say our goodbyes." Isaac looked melancholy yet excited, "Yeah I guess so. How about we meet over by the forge tomorrow at dawn?" "That sounds good" Clarke said in agreement

.

The two friends put their tools away. They were placed neatly in the shed, it would be the last time they would use them in a long time. They might as well place them neatly. Clarke walked over to the beach. Abbey was fishing. She caught fish every day, her father raised some in a farm, and she was to own his hatcheries when he was gone. Clarke looked down at her basket, only noon and already over filled. The problem with the fish was that they too were also getting smaller. And some out of every catch would be carrying some sort of disease. "Abbey!" She jumped and turned around. Her face lit up as she saw Clarke. He walked a bit closer and the two hugged and exchanged a kiss. "What are you doing over here, Clarke? Where's Isaac?" Listen, Clarke said sternly. We need to talk somewhere.

The two walked over to the well, nobody was around. "What's the matter?" Abigail questioned. "Well, there's no easy way to say this but…Isaac and I have to leave. Dave wants us to leave the village to find something better." "What? No this is some joke isn't it? Where's Isaac? What did you bet him?" "Abbey, this isn't a joke. Isaac went to say goodbye to his mom. We're leaving at dawn tomorrow." Abigail's smile and brightened expression was now faded. She looked sad and her eyes got wider. "Clarke…why? Why you?" "Because David believes in us, and we want to help the village." "But what if you don't come back? How will I know you're alive?" Clarke sighed and looked just as upset as Abigail now did. "I don't know. But I do know that Isaac always has my back, and I have his. We'll stay safe. I promise. We'll be back in less than a year. I'll come home to you, I promise I won't stop loving you and only you…We will return." Clarke reached around his neck and grabbed a gold necklace. A necklace that Clarke's father had given him when he went out on the scouting mission six years ago. The pendant of that necklace was a coin. One side bore the profile of a two-faced man; the other held a doubled bladed sword. "Abbey, I'll always be here with you as long as you have this."

Abigail put the necklace around her neck and looked at Clarke with tears in her eyes. The two hugged once more. "I love you" Abbey whispered, trying to hold back the tears. "I love you too."

Just as Clarke walked to the beach, Isaac turned around to go home. He walked up to the door and opened it quietly. His mother was asleep in her bed. She had been sick for the past year or so. She had a very bad and persistent cough; she always complained that her chest or back was in pain. She had trouble breathing and her voice had gotten hoarse. On a rare occasion, she might even cough blood. Isaac was always vigilant of any changes.

"Mom" Isaac whispered. "Mom are you awake?" She opened her eyes slowly. "Oh Isaac, home already? What time is it?" "It's only about noon; I have to tell you something." He eyes were now fully open, through fits of coughing and wheezing she asked, "What's wrong son?" Isaac sat on a stool beside her. "Clarke and I are leaving the village. We'll be gone by this time tomorrow. I'm sorry I can't be here for you anymore. I've let you down." She looked at her son, really looked in his eyes. She coughed once more and was able to say, "Isaac, why would you have let me down? You need to live your life, I'm sure there is an important reason behind you having to leave." "Yes" he responded. "David told Clarke and I that we had to leave; that we are the only two people who can survive out there. He wants us to find people, build trade routes, and bring back books, skills, and crafting techniques. Cures for diseases, he said anything that would help us. But I won't be here for you."

His mother smiled, "Isaac, you going out there for the betterment of the people is very brave, you've taken care of me for almost a year. If I die tomorrow, I die a proud mother; there is nothing you can do to make me believe that you have let me down." Isaac had a tear in his eye. "Isaac, there is something you should know." "What is it mom?" She coughed again, "Isaac, nothing ever stays the same. Good or bad. When you were a boy we had nothing to worry about. Now is a bad time. I may not see you return, but when you do, this small village will lighten up like never before. You and Clarke will spark life back into this place." Isaac smiled now and wiped the tear from his eye. "Thank you mom, I promise I'll come home." "I know you will, son. I know you and Clarke will do great things." She coughed a bit more now, harder than usual. When it died down some blood was on her sheets and under her mouth. Isaac tended to his mother for the rest of the afternoon while arranging his gear for the journey.

The following morning was cool and windy. Clarke got out of bed just as the sun was rising. Abbey was beside him in bed. He put on a pair of his work pants and boots, a rough-spun shirt, and a purple jacket. He also picked up a back pack that was full of food, medical supplies, climbing equipment, a few books, and some basic survival gear. Just as he was putting on his belt and clipping his backpack on, Abbey woke up, lying down, wrapped in the blanket. "You're not going to say goodbye?" Clarke turned around and looked at Abigail wrapped in his bed. "I thought it'd be better if I just left." "Why would you think that?" She asked as she stood up. "Because then I wouldn't have to say goodbye." She looked upset "That's not fair, Clarke." "You know I'm not good at goodbyes. Keep the necklace close and I'll always be with you. I love you." Abbey hugged Clarke, and Clarke hugged back. He felt a tear fall on his shoulder. "I'll write to you when I can." She only nodded in response. They had one last kiss and she turned around as Clarke walked out the door. Neither of them looked back.

Isaac was up at the same time. He also donned his work pants and boots, a shirt and black jacket. He also had a backpack filled with basically the same materials. Isaac kissed his mother's forehead and walked out of the door. He knew that he would most likely never see her again; he didn't want to wake her up and have a long and sad goodbye. Closing the door quietly, Isaac turned around and looked back at the village; he then met up with Clarke at the main gate.

Also at the gate were Dave, Lance, and Father Ronald. Isaac and Clark looked at each other, and then looked to Dave. He then said, "What you're doing here is nothing short of a miracle. I couldn't ask for anything more. We'll hold down the fort, and should be fine by the time you get back. I'm estimating that you have about 500 days before the crops all die out and the animals are too lean to get anything out of them. I have every confidence you'll return before then." Isaac said to him, "Thank you, I guess we have it from here. If we don't return I suppose you know what happened. There's just one thing." "Yes anything, Isaac." "Please check up on my mother. Whenever it's convenient, I'd appreciate it." Ronald stepped forward and spoke up "I would be happy to check up on her whenever I have the time." Isaac nodded in appreciation. "I know you two boys have never been ones for faith, but I give you both my blessing and I'll pray every day that the gods look over you." "Thank you," Isaac responded. With sincerity in his voice Clarke then said, "We appreciate what you've done for us." Then Lance spoke up. "I wish you boys the best of luck. I'm sorry that the only things I have to offer are these." He handed Clarke and old iron sword, and Isaac a worn out bow and quiver of arrows. "The sword's hilt is a little rusted so it will only get you so far, and I've only had the time to get eighteen arrows; so use them wisely." "Thank you." Clarke said. "Really, just for everything here," Isaac added. They were ready to go. Clarke looked at David, "It's been a good time Dave, I'm sad to leave. I wish you could come with us like it was all just when we were kids." Dave looked with compassion in his eyes. "I'm sorry too Clarke. I wish there were another way."

They walked out of the gate and their journey had begun. A few steps past the entrance they turned around. They looked back at their home. To see what they were risking their lives for. They knew what they were doing was for the greater good. They were ready.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER II

The area outside of the village was nothing but plains and grasslands for as far as the eye could see. They walked for hours through unknown land, seeing no other living thing. It was about four hours into their journey that the paused for a rest. "Give me a minute" Clarke said as he plopped down onto the dirt. Isaac turned around. "Yeah I suppose it's time we take a break." He walked back over and tossed Clarke a canteen. "Only take sips, we don't want to use it up before the day is out." Clarke took a sip from the beat up canteen, and looked up at Isaac. "Are you hungry?" he asked. It was about nine o'clock. "Yeah, I guess we should've had breakfast before we left." Isaac said in a regretful tone. Clarke reached into a pouch he had on his belt and pulled out a piece of dried meat. He tore it in half and tossed one part to Isaac. Isaac sat down and the two began to eat. Clarke looked to his friend, "I still can't believe we left." "I know" Isaac said, "What do you think we'll find out here?" "Not a clue buddy." Clarke said with a grin. "I guess we'll just have to roll with it," Isaac said while standing up. "Come on" he offered his hand to Clarke, and Clarke grabbed it and stood back up. They brushed the dirt of their pants and moved on.

Walking onward Clarke noticed the clouds in the sky. They were a gray-blue and looked heavy with rain; at least they provided some shade. He looked to Isaac who was a few feet ahead of him. "I hope this holds up through the night. I don't want to go to bed wet." Isaac paused and also looked up. "Good thing we have tarps. And if it does rain, at least we'll have some more drinking water." "Yeah…I hope the village doesn't flood when it starts up. The last thing they need is that. The last time there was a flood we lost half of the crops." Isaac looked to Clarke, "Try not to think about them, it'll make leaving them behind a little easier." Clarke nodded and kept walking. Clarke spoke again, "Do you see anything? Like, plants or something?" "No. There is literally nothing out here. All that's here is grass and dirt." But then, just as Isaac finished his thought, they saw them.

A large herd of wild cattle trotted over some distant hills. "Clarke, look; out there by the hills. Bison." Clarke looked. It was true. A herd of wild buffalo walked over a hill and began to graze on the taller, untamed grass. "Isaac, hand me your bow. Let's try to get a few." Isaac looked at him. "There's no way, if you hit one the rest will run away. And we don't even know how to preserve the meat. We'll just have to move on." Clarke grimaced, "You're right. I guess the only thing we'll find out here is dirt and weeds."

Walking closer to the herd, they crouched and made sure they did so quietly and with slight movements. Even though they couldn't kill one, they did like to watch. The two got as close as possible before being heard. They looked up at the large buffalo grazing only a few feet away. They could see his beep brown fur tousling in the wind as he stooped down to nibble at the grass, his ivory horns brushing against the top blades. Clarke leaned forward to get a closer look and kicked a few rocks loose of the dry soil. The beast snapped its black eyes towards the noise, finally noticing the boys for the first time. There was a pause, then the buffalo turned and trotted away; the others in the herd soon following suit. Moving as though they were one, the herd slowly galloped faster as they traversed the rolling plains.

Isaac stood from his crouched position to move forward. "Come on." The abandoned grazing site was littered with various lengths of grass and even some flowers. "It's amazing," Clarke began. "What is?" "Being out here. Nobody at home would ever see something like that. You can only see that kind of thing out here." Isaac wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulder. "I guess we're some kind of lucky," he said with a smile. And the two moved on.

They walked for a few more hours. Talking, laughing, and sharing stories: just trying to keep their spirits up. The sun was starting to fall and thy sky was a rich gold streaked with purple. "It's getting late," Isaac said. "It's going to get pretty damn could out here on the plains. We should find a spot to make camp." Clarke looked around and squinted out into the distance. "I think I see some caves over there. We should get them out." "Agreed. That looks like our best bet to find some shelter." They made their way over to the caves. Getting closer to the caves, they could see that the caves were pitch-black inside. Taking off his pack, Isaac bent down and began rummaging for something. "What are you looking for?" Isaac didn't respond and Clarke was about to ask again when he saw a few spark fly and a small fire came to life. Isaac stood up and handed a torch to Clarke. "Here, we're going to need these." "Thanks" Clarke took his torch and proceeded to the mouth of the cave.

Once inside, Isaac bent down to feel the floor of the cave. "It's nice and dry in here. It should make a good camp." The torches illuminated the cave just so that they could see the roof and what was immediately in front of them. "We should go deeper." Clarke said "Make sure we don't have any unwanted visitors." "Or make sure that _we're _the unwanted visitors." Clarke laughed as he walked past Isaac moving deeper into the cave.

Walking for a time, and with no immediate end in sight, Isaac finally stopped and said, "Hey Clarke, I think we should head back now. It's clear we're not going to find the back of this thing. Plus it's dark out now and we should really get some rest." "Just one more minute," Clarke pleaded. "Who knows what's back here." Clarke turned to take another step and felt his foot slip as part of the ground suddenly gave way. He dropped his torch and saw it disappear beneath him as he lost his footing and began to tumble over a ledge. "ISAAC!" Isaac jolted forward, tossing his torch aside and dive towards the ledge as he saw his friend starting to vanish over the edge. Unable to breathe, heart ready to jump out of his chest, Clarke closed his eyes. There was a sudden jolt and he stopped, he felt something grab his wrist. Clarke took a big gasp of air and looked up to see Isaac leaning over and trying to get a firm grip.

"Give me your other hand!" Isaac yelled. Clarke looked down at his right hand, grasped tightly onto his pack. "I can't! We'll lose my bag!" Isaac looking nervous said, "Try to throw it up!" Clarke swung his arm in an effort to save his bag. Instead, Isaac started to slide closer onto the edge. "Wait stop!" Isaac shouted. "Just drop!" "I can't, half of our supplies are in it!" "Fine," Isaac grunted, as he tried to build momentum to swing Clarke up and over the ledge. Clarke felt himself swing back and forth three times before hearing Isaac grunt and pull with all his might. The next thing Clarke knew, he landed with a thud on the cold floor of the cave. They both laid there for a few moments out of breath, just panting. Clarke got up and offered a hand to Isaac. Isaac looked at him and said, "I ever tell you how damn stubborn you are?" "Only once or twice," Clarke said with a grin "And how much of a smart ass you are too?" Clarke only chuckled as he helped Isaac up. "I don't know about you," Isaac started. "But I think we should make camp over by the entrance." "Yeah, I'd rather not go through all of that again." Isaac walked up and bent over to pick up his torch again.

Walking back towards the opening they heard wind. It got louder with every step. When they approached the entrance they saw that it was raining and was very windy outside. "Good thing we came in when we did" Clarke said. The wind was screaming and it was hard to hear anything. The rain was coming down hard, and there was a low rumble of thunder in the distance. "Here let's set up right here," Isaac said as he started to put some tinder together. Clarke rolled out two bed rolls and removed two thick blankets from his bag. Isaac lit a fire between the mats. "Cozy" Clarke said. He pulled out another piece of dried meat and handed half of it to Isaac. Isaac took a swig from the canteen and traded it to Clarke.

They lay down on their respective bed rolls. The only sounds they heard were the wind, rain, and thunder, along with the fire's crackle. They both embraced the warmth of the fire, even while wrapped in their blankets. Isaac looked to Clarke, "Hopefully the storm will clear up by tomorrow." Clarke nodded and smiled. "What's the plan for then?" "Continue north" Isaac said. He laid down on his matt and wrapped himself in his blanket. Clarke had a slight grin on his face, as he turned and did the same. They closed their eyes and absorbed the warmth, resting for what was to come.


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER III

Clarke awoke the next morning to a crackling sound. He rolled over and saw Isaac tending to the small fire that lay between them. He sat up and looked to the mouth of the cave to find the sun barely peeking over the horizon. The sky was a deep blue gray, caused by the previous night's storm. The sun giving way to wisps of pink clouds. "Morning," Isaac said. Clarke turned around. "Here, have some breakfast." Isaac handed Clarke a piece of dried meat, half a loaf of bread, and his canteen. "Thanks," Clarke said. Still sitting in his bed roll, he ate the meat and bread, taking some sips of water for his dry mouth. "North still, right?" he asked. Isaac nodded as he rolled up his mat and dusted himself off. "Hopefully we can make it through the plains and find someone or something useful." Clarke also got up and began to roll up his mat. "That'd be nice. I'm sick of the damn plains. We won't be able to help anyone while we're out here." With all of their equipment packed, the two looked to the cave mouth and continued on their journey.

A few feet past the cave there was a thicket of blueberry bushes. The two ran over to them and began to fill their pockets. "We must have missed these in the storm last night," said Isaac. "Hey I'm just happy we have something else other than that dried meat now." Isaac looked to him. "We got lucky here, but we still need to get out of these plains." Isaac glanced and turned around. He started climbing up to the top of the cave's opening. Clarke stared at his friend. "What are you doing?" "Getting a better view," Isaac said squinting out into the vast distance. "The way I see it," he began, "We can continue north on the plains, or we can head west. I think I see some hills there in the distance." Clarke turned to look. "Yeah I see them. Right now, anything is better than this." Isaac jumped off the cave roof and looked to Clarke. "Let's not waste any time."

They walked west for an hour or two. The sun was midway up the sky. Unlike the previous day, today was bright and beautiful. They had just come upon the hills when Isaac stopped in his tracks. Confused, Clarke was about to ask why he had stopped when Isaac held up a hand. "Do you hear that?" he asked. "Hear wha-." Clarke paused mid-sentence as he heard a howl in the distance. "Wolves," Muttered Isaac under his breath as he started to run towards the closest hill. Clarke followed in close pursuit. They jumped over the edge of the hill and hit the ground with a hard thud. "Quiet," Isaac whispered. "I'm going to look back over, see if they're still there." Clarke nodded, "Alright." With that, Isaac started to crawl on his stomach to the peak of the hill. He glanced over the edge and scanned the area. He saw them: a pack of at least a dozen black wolves with scorching red eyes. They looked angry. They looked hungry. Isaac could hear them sniffing out and searching for him and Clarke. He slowly retreated back down the hill to Clarke. "Leave the food," he said. "What? Why?" Clarke asked. "They'll come over here looking for it; it will give us some time to escape." "Fine, but we better find something soon should we get hungry." "I know we will," Isaac confirmed.

Clarke reached into his bag and pulled out the bag of dried meat, he dumped it all onto the ground, food for at least a week, gone. He looked to Isaac, "Alright, let's go." Isaac stared. "All of it." Clarke sighed and they dumped out the blue berries as well. They remained close to the ground as they went around the diameter of the hill. Clarke looked over to see the wretched pack. He heard their hungry snarls and growls as they smelled the meat. Quickly, they jolted over to another hill for cover. They stayed crouched under it for what seemed like an eternity. They could hear the wolves fight amongst themselves for the scraps of meat and pile of berries. But what struck real terror into their hearts was when they heard one from the pack stand over the hill. They had to remain silent. Clarke could feel his heart pound and his skin start to burn as blood rushed through his veins. Isaac held his breath as he tried to make as little noise as possible out of the fear of being heard. They heard a growl…but then silence. They let out a big sigh of relief as they heard the pack move on.

They decided to head north-west, as to stay out of the path of the wolves. With no food, they became irritable. Hungry, the two began to think of home. "Do you think we'll ever go back?" Clarke asked. "Honestly I have no clue, but everyone is counting on us. We'll find a way." Clarke nodded. "I already miss everyone." "Me too, but we can't think about that now. We have to keep moving." Clarke stopped and frowned. "What the Hell?! We just left! You want me to forget everybody like that? Like it's nothing, that we won't see them again for who knows how long?!" Isaac turned around. "No. I'm not saying that at all. I know these wounds are fresh, but we need to stay focused." "Bu-" "But, It could be life or death out here. You saw those wolves. We need to be ready for anything, which requires us having our minds clear. You said it yourself; we have no idea how long we'll be gone." Isaac sighed and looked to the ground. "Look man, all I'm trying to say is that we need to be prepared to let go." Clarke sighed and looked, really looked into Isaac's eyes. "It's not that simple." Isaac put a hand on Clarke's shoulder. "I left our village knowing full well that we might never return; that I might never see my mother again. Don't tell me you weren't thinking the same thing about Abbey." Clarke looked at the ground and muttered "Alright" and walked past Isaac. Isaac let out a deep breath and followed behind him.

They walked for a time traversing the vast hills and nothingness in complete silence. The only sound heard was the crunch of dirt beneath their boots. "How bad was it?" Clarke slowed to a stop and turned around. "What?" The two stood there in silence for a moment. "How bad was it leaving her behind?" Clarke felt a lump well up in his throat. "Pretty bad." Isaac nodded slowly. "I understand." Clarke immediately shot back, "Do you?" "Yes, I do." Isaac said stepping forward. "This has all been a lot for me to process. I've been so caught up in trying to stay focused and move forward, I forgot about my best friend." Clarke smiled, "Thank you. I'm sorry about snapping." "It's ok," Isaac paused. "You know we can still go back." "No" Clarke said. "We need to do this; they're all counting on us." Clarke stuck out his hand and Isaac grasped his forearm. They looked each other in the eyes. At that point, they both knew that all was forgiven.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER IV

_Dear Abigail, _

_ We've been walking for three days now with no clear end in sight. The days have been long. Isaac hasn't said a word for the past 12 hours or so. He's still being cold about leaving the village but I guess everyone has different methods of dealing with grief. I honestly have no idea how I'm going to get this letter to you or when you'd even receive it, but can you do a favor for me? Let Isaac's mom know that everything's going great and that her son is fine. I don't know how long we'll be gone but I'll keep writing when I can. Isaac just started moving again so I need to go. I love you. _

_ Clarke _

Clarke sighed and stood up, storing his pen and paper away as he did so. As he jogged to catch up with Isaac he thought over the past few days. Ever since they left the cave and ran into the wolves Isaac had become increasingly quiet and it was starting to worry him. Sure Isaac had never been extremely talkative but this silence was starting to weigh down on Clarke. His thoughts ceased as he bumped into Isaac who had apparently stopped walking.

"What's up?" Clarke asked. Isaac didn't respond, instead he just started to climb the hill closest to them. Clarke quickly followed him up the small slope. "C'mon Isaac wha-." Clarke's question was cut short as he took in the view that lay before them. Barely a mile in the distance they could see a massive wall looming over the surrounding land. It stretched for miles to the north where it eventually met the beginnings of a forest that, likewise, went on for miles with its end nowhere in sight. Along the wall they could see menacing black towers with thick intimidating turrets reaching for the heavens as though they wished to become one with the sky.

"Whoa", Isaac was lost for words. Clarke leaned over, "Have you ever seen anything so…big?" "No", stated Isaac, "But I don't like the looks of that place." Just as the towers, the walls themselves were a jet black that appeared indestructible. Like nothing could ever bring them down. The spectacle was impressive, yet struck a sense of fear.

"What is that?" Clarke asked with aw. "I'm not sure…some kind city?" From where they stood they could see a brown dome. Most likely wooden. Also, a flag waving in the wind was visible. They couldn't make out any other details from their distance, but they were intrigued. Clarke turned to Isaac. "We have to get inside." "You're right; someone in there may be able to help us." "Well come on we're wasting time just standing here."  
Excitedly, they quickly walked on towards the walls. Isaac then started, "This is perfect! It's only a three days walk from the village. If we get some help, our problems might all be solved here!" "We don't have much back home to trade with. Maybe they can help us get back on our feet and establish some kind of relationship. A city this big must be self-sustained, or be trading with someone else. They probably have the supplies to spare." "Yeah, let's just see if they're willing to talk to us first."

Just as they finished their conversation, a sound was heard. A familiar sound that they knew all too well. The unmistakable howl of wolves. The pack had returned and they were as hungry as ever. Those red eyes looked right through Clarke and Isaac. They could smell the stench of fear on them. Everything slowed to a crawl as the pack and the boys looked at each other. Isaac and Clarke exchanged glances and ran straight for a tower. Time immediately sped up and the wolves chased closely. The boys ran as fast as they possibly could. The excitement and adrenaline made them move like machines. They didn't feel any strain from the running. The hills blurred into one mass as they ran headlong for the tower. Barking, snapping, growling. It was all heard closely behind them. The beasts were getting closer and closer, ready to kill. But there was nowhere left to run. Just as they had begun to run from the pack, they were face to face with the wall.

Turning around, they were back to back and pressed to the black edifice. Clarke drew his sword, and Isaac his bow. It was evident they had never used a weapon in their lives. Clarke stood bow-legged and the hilt in both hands. Isaac had difficulty drawing the bow and keeping it steady. They kept turning to face the moving horde of wolves, always staying back to back. Suddenly the closest wolf leaped at Isaac. Clarke lashed out with his sword. The blade connected with the wolf's shoulder and it hit the ground hard, whimpering as it scurried to the back of the pack.

Isaac loosed an arrow and narrowly missed one of the foremost wolves. While Isaac fumbled to notch another arrow, a second wolf leapt at him. This time Clarke was ready. He quickly dropped to his right knee thrusting up ward with his sword as he did so. The sword buried itself up to the hilt in the wolf's stomach. Giving one last whimper the wolf fell to the ground, Clarke's sword still embedded in its stomach. As Clarke tried desperately to un-lodge his sword, Isaac let another arrow fly. This time Isaac knew he hit his mark as a wolf yelped and fell to the ground, an arrow sticking out of its flank. Clarke soon gave up his efforts and moved back to stand alongside Isaac. Clarke had no weapon and Isaac's bow was as good as useless if he didn't know how to shoot it. They knew that this was it.

All of a sudden one of the wolves at the front of the pack yelped and dropped dead, an arrow sticking out of its head. Clarke glanced over to Isaac, he still had hadn't fired his last arrow. But if Isaac hadn't fired then that meant…

Arrows started raining down from above like Armageddon, striking the wolves down where they stood. Those that remained tried to attack the cornered boys once more, but not before several flaming arrows buried themselves in the ground at their feet. Isaac heard a clattering sound and a latter dropped beside him. Quickly, Isaac holstered his bow and proceeded to climb the latter with Clarke in tow. When he reached the top an arm appeared over the wall which Isaac accepted. Next they knew they were being hoisted over the edge and set on firm ground.

They looked at their saviors, a group of five or six men all holding long bows and clad head to toe in steel. Clarke was about to ask who these men were when he felt Isaac pull on his sleeve. He looked over to his friend to see him pointing at something. He followed Isaac's arm and out over the wall.

What lay before them was a massive city, the likes of which they've never seen. They turned back to the group of men with aw in their eyes. One of the closest men stepped forward.

"Welcome travelers, to New Eden!"


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER V

The two looked on at what was presented before them: a vast city stretched out, carved into the hills and going on for miles in all directions. They could see the crowded streets laid out like a web betwixt a concrete jungle. The wall they were standing on over shadowed most of the surrounding area including a large red-bricked building. A little ways into the distance they could see a large market that winded down into a crevice and cave that sunk deep beneath the hills. A few people could be seen milling around many of the open stands. Crowds began to form and bustle as the market slowly came to life. A bit in the distance there was a wooden structure that rose almost as high as the walls. It was even more impressive now that they were closer. Behind the wooden structure stood three cylindrical towers of brick, spitting out black smoke into the sky.

To their right, they could see the road stretch on and wind about. Clusters of stout gray buildings littered the hillsides. They were actually quite depressing. And there, directly in the center, there was a large stone edifice. It was topped with a magnificent dome of rich blue sapphire and gold. At the height of the dome was a banner. A flag the nature of which Isaac or Clarke had never seen. It was large and had a black lining. The two outermost regions were a bright lime green. Between the green sections was a blue circle divided in two. On the right was a powder blue, the left was a deeper shade. And in the center of the circle, was a golden branch. The two stared in awe as they saw what people were capable of creating. It was like nothing they had ever seen.

Their gazing was cut short when a guard placed a hand on Isaac's shoulder. "You'll have plenty of time to look around after you go through customs. Please this way." He motioned to a stair case. The two looked over to the stairs and then once more at their saviors as they walked. Two of the guards were placing everything they had on them into chests. That was when they realized when they were staring at the city, they were patted down and their pockets emptied. All without ever noticing. Going down the steps, two of the guards followed behind them watching their every move. At the bottom of the winding steps there was an arch that was the portal to this astounding spectacle. They stopped to look at the arch and the cobblestone road ahead of them. "Let's go!" a voice barked from behind. "You can gawk later, right now just walk." Clarke and Isaac exchanged glances and continued onto the uneven path that lead to the main road.

The party continued forward, Isaac and Clarke were looking frantically. Isaac craned his neck as he tried to get a better look at a near-by building. His action was swiftly met with a slap to the back of his head. "What did I just say?!" The guard was losing his patience. Isaac kept his head down and decided to focus on what was in front of him. The boys kept their heads still and eyes to the ground. The citizens on the path did not even acknowledge them. They only moved out of the way for the escorting guards. "Turn left." One of the brutes said as they came upon a small park. They promptly did as they were told. Walking past the trees and a bench, they could hear kids running and laughing while their parents made small talk. Directly ahead of them was the large stone building at the city's core.

There lead off the stone path to a wooden stair case. Had they continued on, they would see what the market had to offer. The stairs went up a nearly vertical face. The steps zigzagged to the left and right, scaling the hill. The guards edged them forward and they proceeded. Step after step, it seemed to go on indefinitely. Finally after reaching the top, they stood on a small platform. The double doors and platform they stood on were relatively unimpressive compared to the rest of the structure. But then they walked inside.

The main hall was lofty and wide. Straight ahead they saw a large window that let in beams of sunlight that lit up the whole chamber. An ornate chandelier hung from the rafters as well. The floor was a pearly white marble, and the same design as the flag on the roof also graced the floor. Not a sound was made except for the clicking and shifting of a type writer. There were a few waiting areas with chairs and decorative plants, but there were only guards stationed in every corner and by every door. One citizen was actually in the room. A young woman sitting at a desk to the far left, typing. Not a single person moved as the doors opened, not even the woman. She merely sat at her desk with her eyes on her type writer.

"Over to the desk." One of the voices commanded. Isaac and Clarke stepped down from the stone pulpit and onto the pristine marble. Over at the desk, the woman did not even pick up her head. Her eyes scrolled back and forth behind her glasses as she wrote her paper. She had a pin on her green sweater that said _Elizabeth_. "Hello, my name is Elizabeth, how may I help you?" She had a sweet voice, though still she did not pick up her head.

Clarke and Isaac looked behind them to the guards. One of them nodded towards the desk. "Um," Clarke spoke up. "We're new here" he said in a slightly confused tone. The typing immediately stopped, and for the first time since they had arrived Elizabeth looked up. She quickly glanced to the boys, to the guards, then back to the boys. A mixture of surprise and fear etched across her face. "W-Well then, welcome to New Eden." She proclaimed with a forced smile, "I'll call up Mr. Karen right away!"

"Umm excuse me," Isaac began, "Who's-?" Before Isaac could finish he felt himself being pushed towards a set of double doors off to the right of the desk. He glanced over his shoulder to see the same thing being done to Clarke on the opposite side of Elizabeth. Isaac was roughly pushed through the doors and unceremoniously thrown into a chair. The guards quickly exited the room leaving him in complete silence. Isaac brushed off his clothes and righted himself in the chair. He glanced around the half lit room; the only objects to be found were a glass of water on top of a small table situated in front of him and the chair he was sitting in.

He heard the doors lock shut. Isaac weighed his options; he wait or he could try to escape. Seeing as there were no weapons in the immediate vicinity, or anything that could be used as one, it left only one option: to wait. And wait he did. Isaac waited for what seemed like an hour before; finally, there came a knock at the door.


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER VI

Clarke sat at the table. The only things in his room were a table, two chairs, and a glass of water. The room was dull and eerie. Not as bright or warm as the main hall. There were no windows either. The entire room felt like a prison cell. He only sat for a minute or two taking in his surroundings when he heard a knock, followed by the door clicking as it was unlocked. As the door opened, blinding light from the main hall lit up room. It really was like a prison cell.

In walked a tall, slender man. He was old. His face was wrinkled and his head was shaved. He wore square glasses that covered sunken eyes. He was also dressed in fine clothes. Clarke had never seen attire so pristine. As quickly as he walked in, the man closed the door and locked it again. "Cozy." Clarke said sarcastically. The man turned to look at him. "Hello sir," he began. "My name is Mr. Karen. Who might I be working with today?" Clarke looked at the man who was holding a clipboard and a pen. "Clarke…my name is Clarke." Mr. Karen stared at him. "Do you have a last name, Clarke?" "No." He said flat out lying.

Mr. Karen sat down. "Mhmm." He dropped a folder onto the table. "Well I suppose it doesn't really matter who you are. We just want to know why you're here." Clarke sighed and looked at the floor. "Well," He started. "We came from a village pretty far to the west. We were told to leave in order to find more people and establish connections. We can't go on living isolated anymore." He recounted the rest of his and Isaac's journey up to their rescue by the guards on the wall. When he finished, Mr. Karen simply nodded. "Hmm, seems honest enough. I believe you Clarke. Now don't worry, I'm just here to ask you some questions. Do you have any before we begin?" "Yeah, what is this place? Why am I locked in here? Where's Isaac?" "Whoa slow down son, one at a time. You're in New Eden, a place of refuge and prosperity form the outside. People here live in peace and order. As for why you're locked in here, well that's for the safety of everyone on the outside." "How could I be a threat?" Clarke interrupted. "I was stripped of everything on my way in. This room is a damn jail cell."

"Calm down sir." Karen said flatly. "You are not in chains; you have no bonds on your hands and legs. You're not a criminal, this is just protocol. Now as for your friend; there's no need to worry, he's being held in the room over. I'll be speaking to him after you." He looked at Clarke with a stone expression. Clarke reciprocated it. Karen spoke again, "Know I think it's best we begin." He said as he pushed the folder over to Clarke.

Clarke promptly opened it. Inside was a stack of papers with empty spaces to be filled in. He began to skim through the pages reading some of the questions. When he was through he neatened up the pages and put them back in the folder. Mr. Karen took it back and uncapped his pen. "All set?" he asked. "All set."

"Let's start with the basics. Name? That was Clarke, no middle or last. Height?"

"Five feet, ten inches." "Seventy inches, alright. Eye and hair color?"

"Eyes are green, hair's light brown." The questions were simple enough, and as soon as Clarke said them, Mr. Karen scribbled down his responses. "Religious preference?"

"None." Mr. Karen nodded, "Excellent. Saves me some time." "Excuse me?" Clarke interjected. "Oh never mind, it's nothing. Any family?"

Clarke looked upset. "None." Mr. Karen wrote and then looked at Clarke. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure New Eden will be the place to find a new one." Clarke didn't look any happier. Sarcastically he said, "Thanks." Mr. Karen looked back at the paper.

"Right then. Sexual orientation?" "Straight." Mr. Karen wrote again muttering, "Heterosexual." Clarke then spoke up, "Excuse me but, what are all questions for exactly?" Mr. Karen looked up from his papers. "Security and safety. For yours as well as ours." The questions went on back and forth for nearly an hour. Date of birth, weapon skills, writing skills, they seemed to never end. That is until Mr. Karen put the cap back on his pen and closed the file. "Alright Mr. Clarke, we're all done here. Unfortunately though, you can't leave this room until I see your friend. So please get comfortable."

He stood up and stuck out his hand. Clarke shook it. Mr. Karen went over to the door and unlocked it. When he walked out, the light lit up the dark room once more. This time it nearly blinded Clarke. Then the door was quickly shut and locked again. The sunlight faded out and Clarke sat in the dull room alone. He sighed as he sank in the chair.


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER VII

Isaac spun around to get a better view of the new arrival. In walked a tall, gruff man with square glasses. He had a strong look of annoyance plastered across his wrinkled face. The man walked up behind Isaac and slammed a file down in front of him. "Who-?" Isaac began to ask when he was suddenly cut off. "Shut up and cut the bullshit, Isaac and let's get down to business." The man began to pace around the room. "How do you know my name?" Isaac asked looking very confused. The man stood on the opposite side of the table. He put his hands and the edges and leaned over towards Isaac, piercing his eyes with his own.

"Listen boy, this is what's going to happen. I'm going to ask you some questions and you're going to answer them…in full." Isaac sat motionless, as if he were dead. His eyes got wide as he became even more nervous. The man spoke again, "Where are you from?" he spoke in a dead pan voice. Isaac fumbled his words, trying to get them all out quickly but clearly. "Um a uh a village, we-west from here."

"Why are you here?" "Oh uh, the-the village is failing. We were sent out to find supplies and people to trade with." The man shot questions at Isaac as quickly as he could answer them. "What is your affiliation with a man named Clarke?" Isaac's eyes suddenly widened. "Clarke! How do you know him? What did you do to him?!" His questions were immediately met with a slap across his face followed by screaming. "I AM THE ONE WHO ASKS THE QUESTIONS, TERRORIST! Now I'll ask one more time; what is your affiliation with a man named Clarke?"

Isaac took a deep breath and looked at the man, "Clarke, Clarke and I grew up together. He's like a brother to me." The man jotted something down in a folder of papers. He spoke again, "Any other affiliations? Family, friends?" Isaac paused again. Thinking about his dying mother, and everyone he left behind. Suddenly the man spoke again, "Hey, did you hear me boy?" "Sorry, no none. There's nobody else." After writing down Isaac's response, he started up again.

"Alright, Isaac, now that that's out of the way I'm going to ask you some general info questions and you will give me your answers in the order of which I dictate them. Do I make myself clear?" "Crystal." "Very well, height, eye color, hair color, date of birth, religious preference, sexual orientation, able to read or write?"

As soon as the man finished, Isaac spat his answers back at him: "Seventy-three inches tall, eyes and hair are brown, I'm twenty-two, no religious preference, straight, and yes I can read and write." The man scribbled down Isaac's answers. "Good, good. This saves you and I a good chunk of time together. But we're not finished just quite yet." Isaac sighed and the questions kept coming for about an hour.

Suddenly the man stopped speaking and closed the folder and stood up. "Thank you for your cooperation. These documents must undergo processing before you are able to leave, so please get comfortable." He walked over to the door with his back to Isaac. He unlocked the door and just before stepping out into the main chamber, he looked over his shoulder to Isaac. "Oh, where are my manners. My name is Mr. Karen. Welcome to New Eden, I hope your time here is well spent." And with that, he closed and locked the door behind him, once again leaving Isaac in the dark and quiet room.


End file.
